Balloon process and article of manufacture



y 1933- c. v. MARTIN 1,906,325

B ALLOON PROCESS AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE Filed Feb. 1, 1953 Patented May 2, 1933 entree sr res CLAUDE V.

earner caries A MARTIN, OF NORWALK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T MAPLE CITY RUBBER COMPANY, OF NORVTALK, OHIO, COREOBATION BALLOON PROCESS AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE Application filed February 1, 1933. Serial No. 654,756.

This invention provides a novel process of mounting rubber articles, such as toy balloons, upon a base in such a manner that a firm adherence between the balloon and base I will be obtained.

' Heretofore dificulty has been experienced insecuring such articles to a suitable base without likelihood of the base separating from the article; and where, as is usually the case, the balloon is formed into a novelty shape so that, when inflated, it will represent a form such as an animal, bird, or the like. It is obvious that the effective appearance of the balloon is greatly enhanced by the pro- 1 vision of a suitable base or supporting member which should be permanently fastened to the balloon so as not to become detached therefrom during the life of the balloon.

The present invention is designedto over come the objections of separation between the base or support and the balloon at any time, assuring a permanent union therebetween.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a suitable base or supporting member for attachment to the balloon, which base is provided with an opening over which on the underside of the base, there is placed a securing member comprising a thin sheet or disc of elastic material, such as rubber, which is adapted to be secured to the balloon by a suitable cementing material.

Since the difliculties experienced in connection with articles of this character as produced prior to this invention have resulted from a difliculty in obtaining a close or intimate contact between the contacting surfaces, a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel process for securing the base to the balloon.

For the accomplishment of this object it is proposed to force the cement covered attaching member through the opening in the base by utilizing the pressure of inflation of the balloon, which pressure of inflation is caused to press the balloon against the base after completion of all mechanical and manual operations.

Specifically, the attaching of the base to the balloon is carried out by utilizing holding instrumentalities for the inflated balloon, which holding instrumentalities frictionally restrain the inflated balloon against movement, and cause the balloon to press against the baseuntil the adhesion between the base and the balloon has become permanent. For fa- 5 cilitating the necessary intimate contact between the securing member and balloon, the bottom of the holder is provided with an upstanding lug adapted to register with the hole in the aforesaid base, the pressure of the sides so of the holder against the inflated balloon causing the latter to press upon the base to force the said base against the bottom of the holder which causes the attaching member to be pressed through the opening and against 5 the envelope of the balloon, thereby maintaining a positive pressure between the balloon and attaching member during the setting of the cement. I

The invention will be more clearly understood by'reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view illustrating a novelty balloon secured to a base, or supporting member.

Figure 2 is a view of the bottom of the base or supporting member illustrating the attaching member applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in section, showing the balloon adhered to the said a" taching member.

Figure 4 is a top view of aholder in which the balloon is adapted to be secured or held during the cementing operation, the outline pf the balloon envelope being shown in dotted mes. l Figure 5 is a partial sectional view through the holder showing the means of forcing the attaching member against the envelope in v intimate contact therewith so as to produce the required close union between the patch and balloon.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing thedetails of the position of the respective parts during the cementing operation.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that the envelope A of the balloon, being shown for purposes of illustration as simulating a duck, is secured to a suitable base, or supporting member, B, and has a usual valve C by which the balloon may be inflated.

The base B is formed with a hole 1 therein over which hole and on the underside of the base B, there is cemented an attaching member, which is desirably of thin, flexible rub ber. This member has applied to the surface thereof which engages with the balloon A, a layer of suitable adhesive material, such as rubber cement, by means of which the member 2 may be firmly adhered to the balloon A.

In order to bring about this adhesion, the permanent character of which is dependent upon the intimacy of contact between the cemented surface of the securing member 2 and the balloon A, there is provided a holder which is adapted to hold and restrain the balloon against movement, when the balloon is in inflated condition.

This holder maybe of varying detail, but is illustrated as comprising a bottom 3, to which is suitably secured the holding member which is, conveniently, of generally U- shaped cross section and comprises the upstanding walls 4 and the bottom 5. This bottom has an opening cut through for the reception of an upwardly projecting lug 6, suitably secured in the base 3 of the holder, which lug is adapted to act upon the attaching member 2 to force the said attaching member upwardly through the opening 1 in the base under the pressure of inflation of the balloon, so as to intimately engage the attaching member with the balloon A. It will be seen that the balloon is inflated sufliciently to be restrained against displacement when inserted between the sides 4 of the holder, under which conditions the balloon envelope is forced inwardly by pressure against the lug 6, as will be seen at 7 and the attaching member 2 is similarly projected through the opening 1, by the downward pressure of the inflated balloon, as is indicated at 8, so that the balloon and attaching member are pressed together in intimate contact until the preliminary adhesion therebetween becomes permanent.

WVhen the base B has been secured to the balloon A, and the cement has thoroughly set, the balloon, with its attached base, is deflated and removed from the holder when the adhering surfaces take the position shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood that the balloon is inflated sufficiently so that it will be frictionally held between the sides at of the holder and distorted sufficiently to press upon the base B with sufficient force to cause the lug 6 to press the attaching member, which is intermediate the lug and the balloon, against the balloon by reason of the pressure of inflation, thus giving a close engagement between the surfaces of the securing member and balloon, thereby greatly enhancing the adhesive force of the cement on the contacting surfaces. As soon as the cement has become stuck, the balloon and base are removed by hand from'the holder, initial temporary adhesion between the balloon and base having become permanent in nature during the time the balloon is restrained in the holder. The balloon is then deflated, and the article is removed from the holder and ready to be packed for shipment, or sold, as the case may Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The method of applying a base to a rubber balloon or the like, which comprises securing to the base an attaching member for joining the base and balloon, causing preliminary adhesion between the attaching member and balloon, and inflating the balloon so that its pressure of inflation causes it to bear and remain firmly against the said adhesion point of preliminary adhesion aforesaid, wherebycto cause the adhesion to become permanent.

2. The method of applying a base to a rubber balloon or the like, which comprises these steps, applying a balloon to a base with a point of temporary adhesion, inflating the balloon, and utilizing the pressure of'inflation to press the balloon firmly against the said adhesion point until the adhesion connection becomes permanent.

3. The method of applying a base to a rubber balloon or the like, which comprises securing to the under side of a base and below an opening therein, an attaching member of an elastic nature, disposing a balloon above the base at the opening, causing preliminary adhesion between the balloon body at a point above the opening and the portion of the attaching member at said opening, and inflating the balloon to press on the base in such a way as to force the portion of. the attaching patch at the opening, through the opening, and alsoby the pressure of inflation to hold the balloon in intimate contact with the attaching member at the point of preliminary adhesion, until the adhesion becomes permanent.

4. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a balloon, a base therefor having an opening therein and adapted to support the balloon when inflated, said base having an attaching member of rubber applied to its under side below the opening, the portion of the rubber attaching member at the opening being pushed through the opening and permanently adhered to the balloon body. r

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLAUDE V. MARTIN. 

